The most awaited festival of the year is today! and it is definitely a double dhamaka as both Swarna Gowri Vratha and Ganesh Chathurthi are celebrated on the same day. The flower decorations, … [Read More...]

Festival dates in Bhadrapada month – September and October 2026
Festival dates in Bhadrapada month – September and October2026 are as follows: Bhādrapad (August – September) Ganesh Chaturthi - 14 September 2026 Ganesha aarathi song Why Ganesha … [Read More...]

Festival dates in Shravana month – August and September 2026
Festival dates in Shravana month – August and September 2026 are as follows: Shrāvana (August - September) - From 13 August to 11 September (2026) Shravana Shanivara - 15 August, 22 … [Read More...]

Gowri Aarathi Song
ಗೌರಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಮಂಗಳ ಜಯ ಗಿರಿಜಾತೆ ಮಾತೆ ।।ಪ|| ಪರಮಾಯುಧ ಕರ ದುರುಳ ಸುರಾರೆ । ಪರಮ ತೇಜ ಮೃಗರಾಜ ವಿಹಾರೆ ।।೧।। ರತ್ನ ಮುಕುಟ ಮಣಿ ಹಾರ ಕುಂಡಲ ಶೋಭೆ | ರವಿಕೋಟಿ ತೇಜ ವಿರಾಜ ಮುಖಿಯೇ ।।೨।। ಜಗದಾಧಾರೆ ಜಗದಾದಿ … [Read More...]

21 Pushpa Pooja to Lord Ganesha
21 types of Patra (leaves), 21 types of Pushpa (flowers), and 21 Kadabu or Modaka (sweets) are offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chathurthi and Sankashta Chaturthi. There are 21 mantra chanted … [Read More...]

21 Patra Pooja to Lord Ganesha
21 types of Patra (leaves), 21 types of Pushpa (flowers), and 21 Kadabu or Modaka (sweets) are offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chathurthi and Sankashta Chaturthi. Just before the festivities … [Read More...]

Habbada Thindi and Panaka – Festival Snacks and Juice Recipes
Food and festival go hand in hand in India. Special dishes are prepared on festivals and during vratha (observance). Habbada Adige / festival food is prepared on all festivals. But … [Read More...]

Ganesha Aarathi Song
This is a aarathi song dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Kannada Script: ಮಂಗಳ ಗಣರಾಯ ಜಯ ಜಯ ಮಂಗಳ ಗಣರಾಯ ಜಯ ಜಯ ಚಂದದ ಆರತಿ ತಂದು ಬೆಳಗುವೆ ಸುಂದರ ನಿನ್ನಯ ಚರಣ ಕಮಲಕೆ ವಂದಿಸಿ ಬೇಡುವೆ ಸಿಂದೂರ ವದನ ಬಂದು ಕರುಣಿಸೋ … [Read More...]

Gowri Aarathi Song
Gowri is the consort of Lord Shiva and during Ganesha-Gowri Festival, songs are sung in glory of her during Arathi. Lyrics in Kannada: ಗೌರಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಜಯ ಮಂಗಳವೆನ್ನಿರೆ ಗೌರಿಗೆ| ಜಯ ಭವ ಹರ … [Read More...]

Ganesh Chathurthi – Ganesha Festival
I have extremely fond memories of Ganesha-Gowri festival. It was one of the grand festivals of the year for the family and for Mysore city itself. Our road would be decorated with serial lights, as … [Read More...]

Swarna Gowri Vratha – Gowri Habba – Gowri Festival
Swarna Gowri Vratha/Pooja is celebrated by girls and women in Karnataka and Andhara Pradesh. Goddess Gowri is the mother of Lord Ganesha. This festival falls in the hindu month of Bhadrapada, August - … [Read More...]
Vegetarian Recipes

Beerakaya Fry – Ridge Gourd Stir Fry – Heerekayi Palya – Turai Subzi
Beerakaya Fry is a side dish prepared using Ridge Gourd / Heerekayi. Cuisine: Andhra Pradesh Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 1 Beerakaya / Ridge Gourd / Heerekayi, Peeled and … [Read More...]

Doodhi Kofta Curry – Bottle Gourd Balls in Gravy Recipe – Lauki Kofta Curry
Doodhi Kofta Curry is a side dish where Bottle Gourd balls are deep fried and cooked in a gravy. Cuisine: North India Time Required: 30 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: 500 gms … [Read More...]

Baledindina Kootu – Banana Stem Curry – Banana Stem Sambar Recipe
Baledindina Kootu is a curry prepared using Banana plant Stem. Time Required: 30 Minutes Ingredients: 1 foot long Baledindu / Banana stem 1 Cup Thogaribele / Tuvar Dal / Red Gram … [Read More...]

Padavalakayi Beejada Raitha – Snake Gourd Seeds in Yoghurt
Padavalakayi Beejada Raitha is a yoghur based dish, prepared using snake gourd seeds. Long, long ago my grandmother's elder sister used to prepare this very often. My mother passed on this … [Read More...]

Sajjappa – Coconut and Jaggery stuffed sweet dish
This sweet dish is from the kitchens of South Karnataka. Sajjappa is prepared during festivals. Time Required: 1 Hour Ingredients: Oil for deep frying For the outer layer: 1 Cup … [Read More...]

Sun dried Nellikayi Chutney – Indian Gooseberry Chutney
Sun dried Nellikayi Chutney is a gooseberry chutney that can be stored for a long time and used when needed. Cuisine: Karnataka Time Required: 20 Minutes + drying time Ingredients: 10 … [Read More...]

Garlic Chutney
Garlic Chutney known as Lasun Chutney is very popular in Gujarat. Time Required: 25 Minutes Ingredients: 10 Dry Red Chilies or 1tbsp Red Chili Powder 10 Flakes of Garlic Salt to … [Read More...]

Cottage Cheese and Asparagus Stir fry
Time Required: 20 Minutes Ingredients: 1” thin strips of Cottage Cheese / Paneer 12 Asparagus 1 Red Chili, Chopped finely 1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Jeera Juice of ½ Lemon ½ tsp Crushed … [Read More...]
Travel

Chunchanakatte Kodandarama Temple – Rama Temple Chunchanakatte
Chunchanakatte Kodandarama Temple is situated 57 Kms from Mysore in Krishna Raja Nagar (K.R.Nagar) taluk, Mysore district. The temple right beside the Chunchanakatte waterfalls. This ancient … [Read More...]

Linganamakki Dam
The Linganamakki dam is located in Kargal town, Sagara taluk and is built across Sharavathi River in 1964. The length of the dam is 2.4 km and height is 193 feet. The dam is situated at a height of … [Read More...]

Shore birds of Hadinaru Kere
Apart from the numerous aquatic birds, there are so many other shore birds that catch your eye and your camera lenses at Hadinaru Kere near Mysore. Picture1 - Purple Sunbird Female enjoying the … [Read More...]

Markonahalli Dam
Markonahalli Dam is the first dam in the world built using the Siphon system. It is built across Shimsha River by Sir M Visweswraiah and Ganesh Iyer in 1938-40 incurring a cost of 29 Lakhs. Sir … [Read More...]

Nrityagram Dance Village, Hessarghatta and Taj Kuteeram
We planned for a weekend getaway to Nrityagram, which turned to be a unique experience. The dance village is situated on a 10 acre land near Hessarghatta, 30 Km from Bangalore. This was founded in … [Read More...]

Sri Manjunatheshwara temple, Dharmasthala
Sri Manjunatheshwara temple situated in Dharmasthala in South Kanara District attracts more than 10,000 visitors every day. It is a place with a culmination of people from all walks of life and … [Read More...]

Lambs rock, Coonoor
Lamb’s rock is a view point in Coonoor named after the collector Captain Lamb. The view point was made accessible by the effort and interest of Captain Lamb. Lambs rock is situated on the way … [Read More...]
Festivals

Guru Poornima
Guru Poornima is the auspicious day of worshiping the Guru/Master falls on Poornima, which is the full moon day in the Hindu season of Ashada. July - August in the Gregorian calendar. This … [Read More...]

Bhagvad Gita Jayanti – Bhagvad Gita Birthday – Srimad Bhagvad Gita Jayanti
During Corona time, my quest to listen and understand the Srimad Bhagvad Gita started. My mother patiently read the Bhagvad Gita shlokas and explained each of them in Kannada. I was in awe … [Read More...]

Sri Gurubhajane Purnadarathi -Sri Sridhara Swamiji
This bhajan is sung during the Aarathi in Sridhara Ashrama. Sri Sridhara Swamiji is considered the avatar of Dattatreya. His samadhi and ashram is located in Varadahalli, Sagar taluk. There are many … [Read More...]

Vaikunta Ekadasi
"Shaantaakaaram Bhujanga Shayanam Padmanaabham Suresham Vishvaadhaaram Gagana Sadrisham Meghavarnam Shubhaangam Lakshmiikaantam Kamalanayanam Yogibhidhyaarnagamyam Vande Vishhnum Bhavabhayaharam … [Read More...]

Good Friday
Having studied in a Catholic school, we were shown many movies on Jesus Christ. I remember when I was 6 or 7 yrs old and crying out with all my heart when Jesus was being nailed to the cross and Mary … [Read More...]

Mouna Gowri Vrata – Mauna Gowri Vrata
Unmarried girls perform Mouna Gowri Vrata. This Vrata / vowed religious observance is performed from the first day of the Hindu month of Magh to the first day of Phalgun (for 30 days), i.e, … [Read More...]

Tulasi Aarathi Haadu
Aarathi song dedicated to Tulasi devi. In Kannada Script: ತುಳಸಿ ಆರತಿ ಹಾಡು ಶ್ರೀ ತುಳಸಿ ಜಯ ದೇವಪೂಜಿತೆ |ಪ| ಅತುಲ ಸುಗುಣಾ ಕರುಣಾಮಯ ಮಾತೆ || ಅತಿ ಕೋಮಲ ಪಲ್ಲವ ದಳ ಭರಿತೆ ಶ್ರುತ ಭಾವಿಕ ಜನ ವೃಂದ … [Read More...]
